Lower Mount Bethel Township data center proposal revised with community feedback, developers say
Developers of the Lower Mount Bethel Technology Center have submitted a revised proposal for a data center project in Lower Mount Bethel Township, Pennsylvania, based on community feedback. The updated plan significantly reduces the campus footprint, preserves agricultural land, and utilizes closed-loop cooling systems. The Lower Mount Bethel Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold a public hearing to discuss an ordinance regulating data centers in the township.
Developers for the Lower Mount Bethel Technology Center, a proposed data center in Lower Mount Bethel Township, Pennsylvania, have submitted a revised plan in response to community feedback. The updated proposal significantly reduces the data center's footprint, consolidating it south of Martins Creek Belvidere Highway near existing power plants and centered around Depues Ferry Road.
The development team, which includes Peron Development, JG Petrucci Company, and Talen Energy, filed a map amendment application to rezone approximately 239 acres to industrial use. This acreage includes land for future electric utility use, existing quarry property, and undeveloped land, while removing about 350 acres of agricultural land initially envisioned for the project. John Callahan, Director of Business Development for Peron Development and former Mayor of Bethlehem, stated that the changes aim to preserve the community's rural and agricultural character and minimize impacts on local resources.
Notably, the revised plan incorporates advanced closed-loop cooling systems that avoid drawing water from groundwater or the Delaware River. The Lower Mount Bethel Board of Supervisors is scheduled for a public hearing on August 17th to discuss a proposed ordinance regulating data centers within the township.